


The Color of Blood

by End_Transmission



Series: Pup [3]
Category: Among Us (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Major Character Injury, Names, Previously Named Characters, Protectiveness, Reluctant Bonding, Trep is Cyan, Trepper is now little Cyan (previously Little White)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:08:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28004418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/End_Transmission/pseuds/End_Transmission
Summary: In the defense of his adopted child, Trep is willing to give up everything he has - but the last thing he expects is help.Especially from a human.(Continuation of Pup series - characters have been previously named)
Relationships: Cyan & Mini Crewmate (Among Us), Cyan & Red (Among Us), Red & Mini Crewmate (Among Us)
Series: Pup [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1981121
Comments: 20
Kudos: 88





	The Color of Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Highly recommend reading the previous stories of this series, else it may not make sense.
> 
> Had To Be You is still well in progress, just took a break for this little OS I finally figured out the plot for.

Trep hadn't meant for it to come to this. 

He'd been especially careful in the current mission, because  _ this  _ crew had been tense, and paranoid, and above all else too damn smart for anyone's good. Trep had been assigned solo, which he'd been fine with up until he'd been introduced to his human companions. There hadn't been a green astronaut in the bunch, each had a number of Impostor infiltrated missions under their belt - and Trep hadn't been  _ afraid  _ but he had been cautious. Careful. 

It'd also been the first mission since they'd become a makeshift family that he'd regretted bringing Trepper along. 

The baby Impostor was talented for his age - he had a way with humans that attracted them and decimated their guard. He also had no qualms about using that to his advantage - of course, he wasn't especially good at waiting for the right moment, but that was what Trep was for. If Trepper gave them away, Trep just sped the mission along and took care of the issue. 

This mission was the first time, though, that Trep had seriously questioned how many of the war-weary humans he could take down in one go. He had kept Trepper close and had warned the child repeatedly that they couldn't be caught - at least not until Trep had trimmed the crew down. It'd worked, for a while - it helped that a majority of the crew paid Trepper no mind. None of them were  _ cruel  _ to the child - but they weren't swayed by his baby charms, either. 

At least, none of them but Red. 

Despite the fact that Captain Red was perhaps the most seasoned of the lot, he'd had an obvious soft spot for Trepper - which the baby had soaked up like a sponge. If Trepper were near - which had happened a lot given the captain had picked Trep as his buddy - Red would often narrate what he was doing while Trepper stared on in apparent fascination. A few times he even lifted up the kid to help with the tamer tasks - and had a strange habit of patting Trepper fondly on the head in greeting. 

It'd been oddly touching - although unlike Red, Trep was well aware that his son was simply marinating the only human that'd bothered to give him attention. Trepper had chosen Red as his personal target, and Trep had promised him the human if he was patient, and that was how Red came to survive this long. 

That was why, now, he was the only human left - and would likely make it off the ship as the only survivor. 

It'd all happened far too quickly - so quickly that it was all Trep could do to react. Most of the crew had been in the cafeteria - Red the only absent one, given he'd taken his meal in his quarters so as to attend to his status reports. Trepper had been reluctant to eat the meager MRE offerings, and his refusal had devolved into a temper tantrum that'd somehow led to him trying to bolt from Trep and ending up face-first on the floor. 

He'd exploded into hysterics, then, and the room had exploded into action. 

Blue had seen a flash of teeth, Yellow had reacted, and the humans had shifted from thick tension into outright attack - and Trep had thrown himself wholeheartedly into the fray in a near feral, thoughtless effort to protect his child and himself. Despite all of his previous concerns, he'd somehow pulled a victory out from the jaws of overwhelming odds - but he'd paid a hefty price. 

As soon as the last human had gurgled their final breath, Trep had gathered up Trepper and fled - something he'd never once done in the course of his long career. 

Now, he stood crouched over Trepper, hidden back against a corner of the Communications room. His chimeric mess of a body oozed blood into the quickly growing pool beneath him, and he was wracked with shivers as he cooled to a dangerous level. He could hear Trepper keening - and he tried to tuck the small Impostor closer to him in an effort to quiet the high-pitched noises. There was only one human left - only Captain Red - but Trep was quickly losing the energy to even stand. He would give everything he had - but he had no confidence in his ability to fight the human off if Red found them. 

When, he reminded himself as he clutched Trepper even tighter, ignoring the way the baby licked desperately at Trep's wounds.  _ When  _ Red found them. It was a small ship - even without Trepper's cries, it wouldn't take long. Sure enough, as if summoned by the thought, there was soon the sound of feet on metal - footsteps growing steadily and calmly closer. 

Trep struggled to push himself up into a better stance as he forced Trepper below and behind him. The trembling was growing worse - he pressed a few tentacles into the ground to help keep him on his feet. His abdominal tongue slipped into the air, the entire edge one long, sharp blade - even that movement was exhausting, but Trep tried to push it away. One hit. That was all he needed, just one attack and at least Trepper would be safe. Well-fed. Stranded, yes, alone - but alive. He'd have a chance, and if that was all Trep could give the kid, then he'd die doing it. 

A deep growl ripped through the whole of Trep's body when Red rounded the doorway. The human stopped as soon as his eyes hit Trep, and the atmosphere quickly grew so thick Trep could have sliced  _ it  _ with his tongue. Trep mentally urged Red to come a little closer - just a little, so he could be absolutely sure his attack would succeed. 

Then, the silence was abruptly broken by an explosion of high-pitched snarling. Trep all but  _ screeched  _ as Trepper suddenly shot away from him and launched himself at Red. Trep tried to grab the little Impostor - tried to throw himself at them, at Red, between them,  _ anything.  _ It was all his body could take, though, and he'd hardly made half a step before falling heavily to the ground and squelching into his own gore. He tried to push himself up, but every atom of energy he'd tried to save for killing Red was gone - his vision swam and stuttered as he fought desperately to stay conscious. 

Trepper was still screeching, snarling - trying to fight the human on behalf of his own kin. His cries cut off abruptly in a sudden squeak, and the sound of that flooded Trep with ample adrenaline to push himself up just enough to at least  _ look.  _ He expected carnage - expected to find his  _ son  _ dead in the human's hands. Expected one last bolt of energy that would allow him to at least make the human  _ pay.  _

He did not expect to see Trepper being held tightly against Red's shoulder - did not expect to see the human bouncing slightly and struggling to hold on to the baby Impostor as Trepper continued to bite and stab and try to get away. Blood blossomed on Red's suit - began to  _ flow  _ from the wounds Trepper was leaving in his shoulder - and still, the human continued to bounce and shush. 

"I'm not going to hurt him," Red said quietly, "it's alright, it's alright." Even though it was Trepper he was holding, it was Trep he was looking at - and the injured Impostor couldn't tell who the words were meant for. 

Both of them, maybe. 

"I want to help, but you have to give me a chance kiddo," Red continued, those words certainly for Trepper, "I can't do much if you're going to kill me the second I let go of you." The little Impostor's only response was to sink his teeth deep into the meat of Red's shoulder. 

"Trepper," Trep hissed, his own language the only one he could manage to force out. Trepper stilled, and Trep saw an eye peek at him from Red's shoulder. Carefully, Trepper let go of the hold he had on Red, and stared at Trep with wide and watery eyes. Trep clicked quietly before he continued. "This one's soft. He'll help you. Let him protect you until you can find another like us. Survive, kid. Just -" With a sudden groan, Trep felt his remaining gumption shatter as he slipped almost slow motion back to the ground. A soft whine from Trepper was the last noise that filtered through his ears as the darkness finally dragged him under. 

* * *

Trep didn't expect to wake at all - but he certainly didn't expect to wake up on a cot in Medbay. Or, somewhat on it, at any rate. He was really more haphazardly draped over it, elongated arms and legs and tentacles spilling out over the sides and lying against the ground. He…hurt. There was an ache in nearly every part of his body, and a few of those aches  _ burned _ \- but he was alive. Alive, and conscious, which meant he was likely on the mend. 

It didn't make an ounce of sense. 

With a soft groan, Trep began to pull himself back together. It was slow going as his limbs tightened and pulled upwards and, for most of them, melded into his body proper. By the time he'd regained his mostly human form, he was exhausted. For a moment, he laid there and panted, a few sharp waves of pain scattering through his body. Eventually, the worst of it passed and a little more energy flowed into his limbs. He pushed himself up and then simply sat on the edge of the bed as the fresh exertion threatened to knock him under again. 

Slowly, the movements torturing him in their difficulty, Trep got to his feet, started to walk, and began his laborious search of the ship. In theory, either Red or Trepper still lived - and Trep had to hunt down the survivor. 

He was surprised to find them both - and further surprised to see them sitting on the floor of the cafeteria, a collection of brightly colored playing cards spread between them. Trep leaned heavily against the doorway as he watched them - their sides were faced towards him, and Trep was a bit startled to see Red without his helmet on. 

Trep didn't often think about what the humans might look like beneath their suits - but somehow Red's close-shorn hair, square-set jaw, and weary dark eyes framed by stress lines seemed appropriate. Expected. Trep supposed if he  _ had  _ tried to think about what the man looked like, he might have come up with something similar. 

It was strange to see the tired human attempting to play a card game with a baby Impostor - especially  _ Trep's  _ child. So it was a bit of relief when Trepper reached forward, took a card, and then promptly shoved it into his mouth. 

"Hey, no," Red said, leaning forward and reaching for Trepper immediately. "Give me that. C'mon kid, spit it out." Trep watched in almost dumbfounded silence as Red  _ pried  _ Trepper's mouth open to extract the card - caring little, apparently, about the rows of razor sharp teeth in his way. 

"These aren't for eating," Red said as he managed to pull the card away, a few spots on his hand already bleeding. "Have you already forgotten what happened last time?" 

Oh, Trep could imagine. Even for an Impostor - who were generally limited to proteins, legumes, and nuts - Trepper had a sensitive stomach. It was a nightmare of a combination with his penchant to eat whatever was closest to his face. Still, at the comment, Trep wondered just how long he'd been out. How long had Trepper and Red been doing - whatever this was? 

Bonding? 

"Hungry," Trepper whined, catching Trep's attention, and the look Red gave the small Impostor was all at once strained and almost haunted. 

"Again?" Red asked, his voice tight, as if he hoped Trepper would laugh and call it a joke. As if the kid ever joked about being hungry - he didn’t exactly understand jokes to begin with. 

"He's a bottomless pit," Trep spoke up, and he couldn't help but relish in Red's response. The man jumped as if he'd been stabbed, and turned his head towards Trep so quickly the Impostor was surprised it didn't snap. The fear was quick - gone before Trep could even fully enjoy it. 

But it had been there. 

"You have to learn to just say no." Trep continued, as if he’d been there all along. "He won't starve as long as he gets something three or so times a day." 

"Daddy!" The sudden cry from Trepper startled Trep, and he looked over as the little Impostor climbed to his feet and bolted in his direction. Trep let out a slight  _ oof  _ as Trepper rocketed into him, and grabbed at the wall to keep himself standing. Trepper nuzzled his face against Trep's thigh, and with a soft sigh, Trep reached down and rested his hand on top of Trepper’s head. 

"Hey brat," Trep muttered, "you alright?" Trepper looked up at him and blinked, then held both hands up towards Trep. 

"Up?" 

"Sorry kid," Trep answered, and for once he really did feel it. "I don't think I can pick you up right at the moment. First chance I get though, alright? 

Trepper's response wasn't the tantrum Trep feared - instead, he tilted his head and studied Trep quietly. Then, he wrapped his arms tight around Trep’s leg, burrowed close, and sniffled softly. With a soft hum of his own, Trep ruffled the little Impostor’s hair. 

There was the sudden clearing of a throat, and Trep cursed himself for his inattention. He looked over - but though Red was standing now, he hadn't moved any closer. He was watching them both with the same sort of uncertainty Trep was sure was reflected in his own face. The quiet between them stretched on longer, and longer, as the two adults stared at each other and Trepper made soft cooing noises, completely unaware of the tension. 

"What now?" Trep finally asked. 

"I think a truce might be in order."

"A truce?" Trep asked, narrowing his eyes at the human. 

"A truce," Red reiterated firmly, "for his sake." He paused to gesture at Trepper. "You get to live  _ now, _ and I get to leave this ship, alive, in the end."

"So you can expose us to the humans once we get there?" 

"No." The conviction of Red's answer made Trep pause. Red didn't iterate any further, but Trep didn't really need him to - he could see from the human's face that he meant his word. 

"Why?" Trep asked, a minute or so later. "I understand why you spared him - most humans have a soft spot for young, regardless of species. But why did you - I'm aware that I didn't start healing from these wounds on my own."

"The kid needs his father," Red said, shrugging slightly. "What was I going to do - let you die while he watched? Kill you in front of him? Those were the only other two options.” He paused. “To be honest, I didn’t think you’d survive regardless. It was a...surprise.”

Trep didn’t need to ask if it were a pleasant one. 

"It’s not often a head on fight with an Impostor would go in a human’s favor. It’d undoubtedly be a badge of honor - most humans would kill for an opportunity like that. Like  _ this," _ Trep said stiffly. 

“There’s nothing honorable about kicking someone when they’re down,” Red answered and then, with a strange and impossibly quick sparkle of something like  _ mirth  _ added, “besides, there’d be no challenge in it. Where’s the fun in that?” 

Trep didn’t rise to the human’s tease, and whatever good humor that’d been there faded from Red quickly. Trep looked down at Trepper - who was still holding him tightly - and knew he had no choice in the moment but to agree. He was strong, yes, but he couldn’t fool even himself into believing he was anything but weak in that moment. Even just standing was wearing him down quickly - Red would have to do little to win, if they fought then. Trep didn’t know where that would leave Trepper - the human seemed reluctant to hurt the young Impostor, but how long would that last if Trepper went completely feral? 

It didn’t mean anything. There would be plenty of time before they returned to earth - time enough to turn on Red, if the human was really foolish enough to believe that this truce of his would hold any water once Trep was healed. He felt no guilt at all at the thought of the manipulation - after all, he had no doubt Red would turn the other humans on Trep the moment they stepped onto earthen soil. It was less a truce, and more an uneasy stopgap. 

Still, the Impostor wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

“Fine,” Trep finally answered, “You’ve got your truce, Captain.” 

"Addison,” Red responded so quickly it was as if he’d been planning the interruption all along, “I've no crew to be captain of any longer, there's no reason for you to call me anything but my name." 

“I prefer Captain,” Trep said, tense again at the thought of building any sort of familiarity with the human interloper. He didn’t offer his name in return - nor Trepper’s, although for all he knew Red - Addison -  _ the captain -  _ already knew the child’s. He couldn't be sure, and he didn't ask. Instead, he turned his attention back to Trepper. 

"Let's go kid." He didn't specify where - unwilling to show more weakness than he already had to the human nearby. Still, it was getting difficult to stay standing - and  _ Red  _ would definitely notice if Trep went crashing to the ground. 

Again. 

Trep turned in place, Trepper holding tight to his leg as he moved. He took a few steps - and promptly had to press his hand harder into the wall as the world bucked around him. 

"Do you need help?" 

"No," Trep snarled, barely looking over his shoulder as he responded to Red's question. With a deep and painful breath, Trep straightened and continued to walk away. It took great effort to walk with anything approaching normalcy - and by the time he and Trepper were finally out of Red's sight, Trep's hearts were pounding and it had grown difficult to breathe. 

"Daddy?" Trepper asked softly and, with a breath, Trep gave up and leaned heavily against the wall for a break. Trepper was looking up at him again, face pulled tight with worry. 

"Don't worry so much, I'll be fine," Trep told the little Impostor. He paused, then reached out to tap Trepper lightly on the nose. "All this time, and you didn't even manage to kill him?" 

Trepper blinked at that, then looked back down the hallway they'd just walked. He hummed softly, then giggled as he held out a hand and made grasping motions in the same direction. 

"Addie," Trepper said cheerfully, and with a groan Trep let himself slip down along the wall until he was sitting against it. 

"Stars, brat, don't tell me you've actually gotten attached."

Instead of responding, Trepper climbed over, slipped between Trep's limbs, and snuggled himself onto Trep's lap. When he slipped his own thumb into his mouth and closed his eyes, Trep let out a soft sigh. He brought his arms up around the child and curled a bit more securely around Trepper. 

"We'll…deal with that later," Trep muttered, but he was talking to himself - Trepper had already fallen asleep. Pained unconsciousness lapped once more at his own mind and, loathe as he was to do so, Trep soon slipped back into his own faux-sleep comatose. 

There would be a later, and they would deal with Red then. 

**Author's Note:**

> Not impossible that there could be additional chapters added to this specific OS one day - but not promised either. We shall see ;)


End file.
